Written answers
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Department of Foreign Affairs
Departmental Bodies
9:00 am
Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of agencies, commissions, committees and boards under the his Department; the role each of these play; the annual cost of each of these for the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36082/10]
Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently five bodies which operate under the aegis of my Department: the Development Education Advisory Committee (DEAC); the Government Emigrant Services Advisory Committee (previously known as Díon); the Audit Committee of the Department of Foreign Affairs; Department of Foreign Affairs/NGO Standing Committee on Human Rights; and the Fulbright Commission (e Board of the Ireland – United States Commission for Educational Exchange). A further two bodies – the Advisory Board of Irish Aid (ABIA) and the Hunger Task Force – also operated during the period in question. ere are other committees led by my Department that do not have dedicated budgets. e Fulbright Commission, ABIA and the Hunger Task Force received funding from my Department during the period in question, as indicated in the table below. e remaining bodies are all committees, the administrations of which are serviced directly by my Department's budget.
| Funding Provided € | |||||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
| Fulbright Commission | 254,000 | 254,000 | 254,000 | 254,000 | 254,000 |
| Advisory Board for Irish Aid(ABIA) | 1,062,884 | 1,152,868 | 738,047 | N/A | N/A |
| e Hunger Task Force(grant) | N/A | 25,987 | 257,669 | 18,334 | N/A |
Acting on a recommendation contained in the Irish Aid Management Review adopted by the Government in 2009, an Irish Aid Expert Advisory Group (IAEAG) has now been established. e role of the Group is to offer independent expert advice to me and my colleague the Minister of State for Overseas Development on the strategic direction of the aid programme. e inaugural meeting of the Advisory Group will be held in November 2010. e administration costs associated with this Group will be serviced directly by my Department's budget.
The members of the Department's Audit Committee work on a voluntary basis and receive no remuneration, travel expenses or subsistence.
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